Process for mica flotation



} Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR MICA FLOTATION Francis x. Tartaron and Leslie Roth Harrison, .Ir.,

Mulberry, 11s., assignors to Phosphate Recovery Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.

Application September 23, 1939. Serial No. 296,224 a 6 Claims. (Cl. 209-166) occurs in this ore as muscovite and is intermixed with feldspar, quartz, and clay. Different fractions of the material in particles of various sizes have been successfully treated by this process.

In carrying out the present invention, successful commercial concentration of the mica in the ore is obtained by the use of alkali resinate as the flotation collector. Although the addition of a frothing agent is not essential to the process, 7

- certain frothers, such as pine oil and P. T. 101, for example, have been found to assist in the flotation. The flotation collector, alkali resinate, is added to a dilute pulp having therein about 10-20% solids in a flotation machine, the pulp is agitated for a short period of time to mix the contents of the flotation machine, then the flotation operation is consummated. The mica concentrate collects in the upper portion of the flotation machine and is skimmed ofl of the surface of the pulp. It has been found tobe desirable to 1 repulp with water in some instances and refloat so as to further purify the desired product.

A mica product or concentrate weighing less than 20 lbs. per cubic foot, which is consideredhighly desirable in the trade, can be readily and. rapidly produced by this process.

The following examples illustrate the'process.

of this invention. However, the invention is not limited to these examples, as considerable variation can be made without departing i'rom'the 40 spirit or scope of the invention.

Example No. 1

The material that was treated was a fine sand product from the washer of Kaolin, Inc.,

5 .Sprucepine, North Carolina. It contained about 2% of particles plus 48-mesh and 60% minus 100- mesh. The mica was about 20%01 the material treated and consisted of muscovite. Impurities were feldspar, quartz, and clay.

so To a pulp of this material containing about 10% solids in a M. S. laboratory flotation machine, the reagents mentioned below were added, followed by the agitation period also stated. The pulp was then frothed and the concentrate was collected. -This froth concentrate was repulpedand more reagent was added. A second flotation was consummated, giving the finished product. Rejects of first flotation are tailings to be discarded. Rejects of second flotation are middlings to be returned to the flotation circuit and 5 further values recovered therefrom.

Rcughar Cleaner float float 1o 3. 00 1. 40 0. 42 mng seoonds 15 15 Tim of float -minutes-. 3 1% a l5 Percent Pounds per weight cubic loot Feed 100.0 41.3 Gone 18. 8 l9. 5 Midrl 1a 3 0 Tail 67. 4

Example N0. 2

The'material treated was sand box settling 25 of washer of Kaolin, Inc. This product had the same size distribution of particles as in Example l, but contained 33 mica as muscovite with impurities of feldspar, quartz, and clay.

The method of treatment was identical with 3,0

that given in Example No. 1. o

I Bouzher Cleaner float float Sodium rminste per ton a on 1. 4o Pim oil do 0. 42 0 Mk3: time .seconds.- 16 15 Flo on time ..minutes.. 3 2% Y Percent Pounds per weight cubic toot In!!! 100. 0 32. 8 Um I ,32! 15. 5 Midd 1s. 6 T '49. 3

. EmmpzeNoJ The mica-containing product was scalped 50 from 50- and -mesh screens at the plant of Kaolin, Inc. 1 This material contained of mica as muscovlte, impurities being feldspar,- quartz, and clay. The sizes ranged from 20- to GO-mesh, and the cubic weight was 20 lbs. per 55 cubic foot. To the ore pulped with water so as to'contain 10% solids, reagents were added as shown below in live tests illustrating the effect of increasing quantities of the resinate. The pulp was agitated 15 seconds. Flotation was then carried out. The froth was not retreated.

heagents, pounds per Froth product ton Pounds Sodium Pine Percent resinato oil weight per cubic I foot Example No. 4

The procedure is the same as in Ebrample 1, except that a second cleaning operation is used.

- Reagents and conditions agi? 1:85, ak?

Sodium resinate.. .lbs. per ton.. 8. 00 l. 40 0. 80 P. T. 101 as. the irotherdo.. 0.42 Mixing time -.seconds 15 i5 Flotation time, m.inutes 1% 1% 1% Cubic weight Product Percent (pounds per weight cubic loot) 1. The process of concentrating'mica by iroth flotation, which comprises pulping the ore with water, mixing therein alkali resinate, and subjecting the pulp to a froth flotation treatment. 1

2. The process according to claim 1, in which the resinate is sodium resinate.

3. The process according to claim 1, in which there are two flotation treatments and a part oi! the resinate is added to first treatment and a part to second treatment. a

4. The process according to claim 1, in which a frother is used.

5. The process according to claim 1, in which pine oil'is added as a trother.

6. The-process according to claiml, in which the pulp has therein about ten percent to twenty percent solids. v

FRANCIS K. TARTARON. LESLIE ROTH- HARRISON, JR. 

